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Combating cancer, injury and disfigurement in the most socially important part of our bodies – the face and mouth

The face is the only part of our body we cannot hide. It conveys our emotions and innermost feelings. We often judge each other on the basis of facial appearance, making assumptions on a whole range of issues.

People suffer the consequences of facial diseases, injuries and disfigurement every day. In the United Kingdom 6,500 people develop oral cancer every year. Around 125,000 young people sustain serious facial injuries and 15,000 people receive treatment for facial disfigurement.

Despite the severity of these issues, this remains a much neglected research area leaving thousands of those unfortunate enough to be affected with little hope for the future. Not enough is known about facial disease, injury and deformity, their psychological and emotional impact and, critically, which treatments are most effective. Saving Faces - The Facial Surgery Research Foundation is the only charity in the UK solely dedicated to the worldwide reduction of facial injuries and diseases. We are taking the lead in education and research to improve the physical and psychological treatment of all victims of oral cancer and other facial diseases.

Barry C
Oil on canvasPainting size: 64x64"
Painting by Mark Gilbert

Barry's story

Barry was 11 when he posed for the Saving Faces Art Project and lived with his parents Andrew and Helen in Kent. He was a keen Southampton supporter and Playstation fanatic.

At birth he was diagnosed as having a retinoblastoma affecting his left eye, which was initially treated with radiotherapy. One year later he developed a small tumour at this site and this received further treatment.

Barry's life remained normal until the age of 11 when he developed an osteosarcoma of the ethmoid sinuses at the top of his nose and the inner aspect of his left eye (i.e. a malignant bone tumour). This caused marked swelling on the left-hand side of his nose and bulging out of his left eye. He underwent six months of chemotherapy and in December 1999, just before Christmas, he was operated on and the malignant tumour was removed by splitting the base of his skull from above and separating his nose from his face to pull the tumour out completely. He was left with a scar on the left-hand side of his nose and over the top of his scalp where the scalp had been peeled off to remove the frontal bone and access the tumour from within the skull cavity.

Thanks to his fortitude, Barry was able to leave hospital on Christmas Eve 1999, six days after the operation, and enjoy Christmas at home. Despite his long periods off school, Barry has been supported throughout by his many friends who never forgot him even though he could not play or join in most day-to-day activities. He has overcome all the hurdles that life has thrown at him with bravery and spirit.